DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SAFETY

DCS REFERRAL UNIT
3003 N Central Ave Phoenix, AZ 85012

Salary: $34.3750 HRLY/$71,500.00 Salary 

Grade: 21

Closing Date: October 11, 2026

Under the direction of the Program Administrator, the Service Approval Supervisor leads the operations, coordination, and performance of the Service Approval Unit, ensuring the delivery of timely, accurate, and high-quality work. The role requires close collaboration with Placement Administration, service providers, the Payment Processing Unit, field staff, and community partners. The supervisor is responsible for managing staff performance and operations, including approving leave, ensuring adequate staffing coverage, completing performance evaluations, and addressing personnel matters. This position leads efforts to standardize practices to improve accuracy and enhance operational effectiveness in the processing of out-of-home service approvals. The position also provides support to the Service Referral Units as needed.

• Supervises staff responsible for processing service approvals for out-of-home placements, including, but not limited to, kinship, foster homes, therapeutic foster homes, group homes, DDD foster homes, and shelters. Monitors unit dashboard, assigns work to staff, conducts audits and reviews logs to ensure work is completed timely and accurately.
  
• Reviews and approves staff work products, leave requests, and time-sheets; completes performance evaluations; and ensures adequate unit coverage. Provides guidance and support to staff, addressing performance issues as needed. Evaluates reports for accuracy and quality, offering feedback, making corrections, and approving or returning items as appropriate. Maintains team service logs and compiles weekly metrics to produce huddle board metrics.
  
• Provides support to field staff, caregivers, and service providers via in-person, phone, TEAMS, or email communications. Plans, facilitates, and leads unit or section trainings and meetings. Develops and updates training materials to guide and support field staff in the service approval process. May require driving for the position.
  
• Serves as a liaison for the Service Approval Unit, addressing inquiries and resolving issues from field staff, the Payment Processing Unit, community partners, and service providers.
  
• Assists with the expiring service approvals for out-of-home placements. Collaborates with field staff and the referral unit to ensure timely updates, provide follow-up, and escalate issues as needed. Provides oversight, guidance, and supervisory support to the Service Referral Unit, ensuring effective operations and alignment with organizational priorities.
  
• Cross-trained in Referral Unit operations, processing both contracted and non-contracted caregiver and child services across multiple counties and service levels. Partner with the Office of Contracts and Procurement to support contract development and implementation.
  
• Other duties as assigned as related to the position.

Knowledge of:

• Federal and State Laws and statues governing contractual agreements
  
• Federal and State funding rules and regulations
  
• Fundamentals of budget development and expenditure controls
  
• Community resources available to meet needs of program clientele
  
• Contemporary service programs and delivery systems in public agencies
  
• Federal laws governing assigned program areas
  
• Policies and procedures established for the work system
  
• Principles and practices of work leadership and management
  
• Conflict resolution techniques
  
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) - Guardian
  
• Business processes as it relates to Services and Payments

Skills in:

• Concept design, planning, development and maintenance of documents, forms and service specifications
  
• Maintaining interpersonal relationships
  
• Interpreting and analyzing information pertaining to contracts and programs and evaluating programmatic and fiscal data
  
• Negotiations, problem resolution, decision making, listening, and logical and creative reasoning
  
• Contractual data development, analysis and evaluation
  
• Complex automated record keeping and tracking systems
  
• Presenting information
  
• Verbal and written communication
  
• Writing and developing documents
  
• Attention to detail
  
• Supervision techniques
  
• Eliciting and gathering information
  
• De-escalating situations
  
• Managing own time and arranging work
• Interpretation of laws, rules, regulations pertaining to the work system

Ability to:

• Apply the principles and practices of work leadership and management
  
• Work independently and collectively with colleagues and team members and train staff
  
• Contribute to discussions and offer ideas and solutions
  
• Multi-task; prioritize and organize large quantities of work
  
• Coordinate and organize work projects
  
• Lead state-wide meetings and change priorities on short notice
  
• Maintain working relationships with contracted and governmental agency representatives and citizen advocacy groups
  
• Negotiate and train while explaining various concepts
  
• Exercise considerable discretionary judgment
  
• Be detail oriented
  
• Maintain professional boundaries
  
• Accept responsibility for work product and outcomes

The ideal candidate will have at least one year of experience in a related role, with background in procurement, contracting, or DCS field operations. Must be proficient in computer applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet Explorer, and the Guardian system, as well as in customer service and service approval processes.

A valid Arizona driver's license is required. Additional information regarding driving requirements and insurance will be included in the job announcement for this position on the Arizona State Job Board
Employee must obtain and maintain clearance of the DCS Central Registry.

This position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The State of Arizona provides an excellent comprehensive benefits package including:

• Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
  
• Top-ranked retirement and long-term disability plans
  
• 10 paid holidays per year
  
• Vacation time accrued at 4:00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
  
• Sick time accrued at 3:42 hours bi-weekly
  
• Deferred compensation plan
  
• Wellness plans

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting 602-255-3141 or by email at ADA@AZDCS.GOV. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. Should you have any further questions regarding the interview process you can reach out to a member of our recruitment team at 602-255-2903 or by email at recruiting@azdcs.gov. The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.